New Oral Drug Shows Promise In Patients With Chronic Kidney DiseaseNews MedicalPatients with chronic kidney disease may be treated with a class of medications called Renin Angiotensin Aldosterone System inhibitors (RAASI's). Although these drugs protect the heart and kidney, a significant percentage of patients develop a dangerous side effect – high potassium levels in the blood (hyperkalemia).

PCa Recurrence Not Linked to Metabolic SyndromeRenal & Urology NewsA new study of veterans demonstrated no link between prostate cancer (PCa) recurrence and metabolic syndrome (MetS), in contrast to some previous studies. Elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels and impaired fasting glucose, however, might have an effect. "This analysis of a large cohort of veterans supports a role for lipid and glucose metabolism in PCa recurrence and contributes to a developing body of evidence that may support preventive recommendations if these findings are confirmed," stated lead researcher Liam Macleod, M.D., of the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, and colleagues.

Too Much Iced Tea Caused Arkansas Man's Kidney ProblemsThe Associated PressDoctors traced an Arkansas man's kidney failure to an unusual cause - his habit of drinking a gallon of iced tea each day. They ruled out several potential causes before stumbling on a reason for the 56-year-old man's kidney problems. He said he drank about 16 8-ounce cups of iced tea every day. Black tea has a chemical known to cause kidney stones or even kidney failure in excessive amounts.

Gum Condition Linked To Heart Attacks In Kidney Disease PatientsHealth CanalOver 10 percent of the adult population have CKD and those affected often have poor health outcomes due to an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease compared to the general population. CKD progressively worsens kidney function, raises blood pressure, and can cause progressive vascular injury and heart disease. Recent research suggests that increased mortality in people with CKD may be linked with chronic inflammatory conditions such as periodontitis, which causes gum inflammation, loss of the bone that supports the teeth and ultimately tooth loss.

The Supreme Court Gives Medicaid Providers No ReliefHealthLeaders MediaIn a ruling handed down last week, the U.S. Supreme Court told healthcare providers who see Medicaid patients that they can't use the courts to get higher reimbursement rates. The ultimate effect could be to limit the number of Medicaid beneficiaries that providers are willing to take on.

OSHA Issues New Guidance on Workplace ViolenceThe HillThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration released new guidance on Friday, April 3, to help healthcare and social service workers better protect themselves from workplace violence. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 27 out of the 100 fatalities in the healthcare and social service fields in 2013 were due to assaults and violent acts. But the number of non-fatal assaults that resulted in serious injuries was far greater.

'Cadillac Tax' The Next Big Obamacare BattlePoliticoA mix of business groups and labor unions are pushing to tee up the next big Obamacare fight: Killing its so-called Cadillac tax. It is, they say, the type of Obamacare "fix" that Republicans and Democrats can agree on — notwithstanding the problem of filling an $87 billion budget hole that nixing the levy would produce. Many expect it to be the next protracted battle over Obamacare — one that threatens to become a headache for Democrats, many of whom never liked the tax despite supporting the law more generally.

Government Payments For Medicare Advantage Plans To Rise In 2016ReutersPayments to health insurers operating Medicare Advantage plans for the elderly and disabled will increase by 1.25 percent in 2016, the U.S. government said in response to expected growth in health spending. The announcement, by a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, comes after the U.S. government proposed a 0.95 percent cut in payments to insurers in February.

Docs More Open to Accepting Medicare, Private InsuranceMedPage TodayAlthough most physicians contacted in 2013 were accepting new patients with any type of insurance, they seemed to prefer patients with private insurance or Medicare, rather than Medicaid, according to new survey results released by the National Center for Health Statistics. Nationwide, an average of 84.7 percent of physicians were accepting new privately insured patients, followed closely by Medicare with 83.7 percent; that latter figure jumps to 88.8 percent if pediatricians are excluded.

The Healing Power of Your Own Medical RecordsThe New York TimesSome of the most advanced medical centers are starting to make medical information more available to patients. Brigham and Women’s, where Mr. Keating had his surgery, is part of the Partners HealthCare Group, which now has 500,000 patients with web access to some of the information in their health records including conditions, medications and test results.

Health Care Administrator: Top Quality Care, Staffing And Finance Are All Part Of The MixChicago TribuneKaren Teitelbaum began her career as a speech-language pathologist working directly with patients. While she loved the experience, Teitelbaum longed to be able to help more than one person at a time. For her, the solution was to move into health care administration. Today, Teitelbaum is president and CEO of Sinai Health System, where she's accountable for three free-standing hospitals, one fully accredited children's hospital located on a floor of Mount Sinai Hospital on Chicago's west side, a medical group of 250 doctors, a social epidemiology institute and a health system-based human services organization.

Full Plate of Health Care Bills Pending as Legislature ReconvenesCalifornia HealthlineThe state Legislature reconvenes on Monday, April 6, after having a week off for spring recess and the healthcare agenda is full.
A number of high-profile bills are on the docket before the Senate and Assembly health committees, where they'll get their first public hearings Tuesday and Wednesday.

Medi-Cal Rates Don't Belong in the CourtsThe Sacramento BeeMany who support broader access to healthcare for low-income people are decrying a U.S. Supreme Court decision last week in a case involving reimbursement levels for doctors who treat the poor. But while we share the goal of broader access, we think the court was wise to rule that private parties have no standing to sue the government to force higher payments to medical providers under the federal-state Medicaid program, known as Medi-Cal in California.